Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-04-07
REV. N. g. TAYLOR.


day morning. March 81. It will be sad
news to thousands Of Tennesseans and
thousands outside of Tennessee. He has
been a prominent figure in public life for
more than thirty years. He was educated
partially at Washington college and af-
forwards graduated at Princeton college
with the first honors Of his class.
After leaving school he studied law,
and made preparations for entering that
profession. While at a camp.meeting at
old Brush creek camp.ground, in Wash
ington county. somewhere about 1S41,
an event occurred which perhaps chang.
ed the whole tenor Of his life. A terri.
BILE thunder storm came up at night, when
lightning struck q tent in which. among
others. were DR.. Taylor, a sister. and a
friend from North Carolina named Nil.
Ter. His sister and Mr.. Miller were both
killed. 1t made such an impression up
on DR.. Taylor that he at once resolved TO
abandon the law and enter the ministry.
He began his ministrations at once. Hon.
o. p. Temple, Of this city, who was at
the camp-ground only a night or two
after the tragic event related, informs
us that he listened 10 an appeal made
by DIR. Taylor from the pulpit, remark
able for its fervor and %eioquence. and
for the profound impression 1t produced.
He afterwards became noted as q pull.
pit orator and wherever he went preach.
ed TO immense congregations. His SER
vices were especially in demand at the
camp.meetings so common in that day,
and thousands who heard him then can
never forget the impressions made. His
fame went abroad and he soon obtained
almost a national reputation. In add.
ton to his ability as a pulpit orator, he
was q gentleman Of perfect social quail
ties, of q pure private life and remark
able sweetness of disposition, all of
which added to his ~unbounded popularity.
He had q fendness for political life,
natural 10 one with such conceded for
ensic power. In 1S40 he ran as the
Wing candidate for congress in the first
district and was defeated by Andrew
johnson, the Democratic candidate. AT.
forwards he was elected to congress TO fill
out an unexpired term, the vacancy being
caused by the death of Hon. Brookins
Campbell. He took an active part in
almost every political canvass from that
time up to the beginning of the late
war. He was an ardent Wing and an
able defender of the principles of his
party, so he was often called upon TO
publicly address the people at nearly all
important points in the State. In 1860
he served as elector for the State at
large on the Bell and Everett electoral
ticket. He canvassed the State with
Hon. w. G. Whitthorne as his competi.
tor. 1t was just at the time the dark
clouds were looming up in the distance,
threatening to envelop the country in
civil war. With q keen sense of the
perils ahead, the occasion was one to
which his genius was admirably adapted,
and his appeal in behalf of the Union,
eloquent and thrilling, often brought
tears TO the eyes Of his auditors.
1t is remarkable that in this and 9th.
er political campaigns In which he was
engaged, wherever he happened 10 be on
the Sabbath day he was called upon tc
preach, and the invitations were gener
ally accepted. Then, Notwithstanding
the vigor with which he combatted th'
principles and polices of the opposin,
party through the week, on the Sabbath
Democrats as well as Wings gathered
around him and We'd with each other II
their admiration of him as a preacher. Ii
his contests upon the stump he wa
noted for his courtesy towards his op
ponents, and never INDUCED in any
abuse of those with whom he differed
Besides, his conduct was such that, al
though engaged in the turmoil of poll
tics, he never lowered his ministerial
dignity and was never guilty of any
thing inconsistent with the character Of
q Christian gentleman. To this is due
the fact that his political opponents
never lost confidence In him as q man.
When the wal came up, he very natur
ally allied himself with the Union cause
In the remarkable campaign which pro
coded the elections of 1861, his %eloquen
voice was heard pleading for the old gov
eminent and the old flag. Soon afte,
Gen. Burnside came into East Tennessee,
in 1868, DR.. Taylor conceived the idea o
going north and doing something TO res
cue the people Of East Tennessee from
suffering and perhaps starvation. TIL,
section was overrun for some time will
two hostile armies, that had subsisted OF
the country until there was scarcely any
thing left with which TO maintain life
The gravest fears were felt, as 1t could b
easily seen that without assistance iron
outside, the sufferings of the people woul
be great. So the East Tennessee Relic
Association was organized. DR.. Taylo
went north, and sought the public eaI
Among other places he went TO Boston
Through the aid Of Gov. Andrew an
Edward Everett, a meeting was Gale
9 at Fanuel Hall which was attended by a
immense audience. On the platform 50
, the distinguished gentlemen just name
7; and other prominent citizens. The speec
4 Of DR.. Taylor, which was an appeal f.
/; aid to the suffering loyalists Of East Ter
v nessee, was doubtless one of the mo.
@ powerful he ever made. and was pre-
J; %nounced at the time by Mr.. Everett, on
of the best ever made in America, b
any one on any subject. 1t produced
profound impression and more than
hundred thousand dollars were raised |
the New England States for the relief Q
the people of East Tennessee. He spok
d at many other places and through his Ell
n forts thousands Of dellars were contrib
uted, an amount of suffering prevente
which can never be known In this world
His brilliant appeals for the relief of hi
Y suffering countrymen. although mad
more than twenty years ago, are fresl
Q In the minds of many northern people.
c In 1866, at the first election held afte
It the close of the war, he was elected :
@ congress from the first district, but OWN
to the congressional reconstruction pol
cy which prevailed at the time, he no
any of the Tennessee delegation were &C
I. mitted unit. near the close OF the tern